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Parenting, Marital Conflict and Adjustment From Early- to Mid-Adolescence: Mediated by Adolescent Attachment Style?

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Abstract

Contributions of 3 dimensions of parenting (psychological control, warmth, and behavioural control), marital conflict, and attachment style (anxiety and avoidance) to adjustment from early to middle adolescence were assessed. Mediation of marital conflict effects by parenting, and of parenting effects by attachment were examined. Adolescents (n = 175) initially age 13 years reported parenting practices, attachment styles, school grades, self-esteem, and internalizing and externalizing problems twice (T1, T2) 2 years apart. T1 marital conflict was associated with lower self-esteem, more externalizing symptoms, and lower academic achievement at T2, all but the latter mediated by parental warmth. T1 parental psychological control was associated with increases in internalizing symptoms over time, an effect not mediated by attachment insecurity, which contributed independently. T1 parental warmth was associated with decreases in externalizing symptoms and increases in self-esteem over time, the latter mediated by attachment security.

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Correspondence to Anna Beth Doyle.

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Professor of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada, H4B 1R6. Received PhD in Developmental Psychology from Stanford University. Research interests include parenting, attachment, and adjustment in adolescence.

Professor of Psychology and Applied Human Sciences, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3G 1M8. Received PhD in Social Psychology from Ohio State University. Research interests include close personal relationships and adjustment.

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Doyle, A.B., Markiewicz, D. Parenting, Marital Conflict and Adjustment From Early- to Mid-Adolescence: Mediated by Adolescent Attachment Style?. J Youth Adolescence 34, 97–110 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-005-3209-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-005-3209-7

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